The history of the government of France, under the administration of the great Armand du Plessis, Cardinall and Duke of Richlieu, and chief minister of state in that kingdome wherein occur many important negotiations relating to most part of Christendome in his time : with politique observations upon the chapters / translated out of French by J.D. Esq.

Father Berule arriveth at Rome, to obtain the dispence for the Lady Henrietta Maria of France, to be married with the Prince of Wales.

LET us give leave to Cardinal Barbarin, to make his journy into France, we shall anon overtake him at the Court, and take notice of what passed in his negociation. Let us now speak of another important Affair, which was treated on in the Court of Room for Madam the Kings Sister: we have already told you about the end of the forgoing yeer, that the match with the Prince of Wals being concluded, Father Berule was sent to Room, to procure a disperse for it, where being arrived and presented to his Holiness by the Sieur de Bethune, he supplicated his Holiness, on his Master behalf, that he would bee pleased to grant him the di∣spensation for it.

The Pope receiv'd him, with such honour, as is due to those who are sent from the first of Christian Princes; and as to that which concern'd the dispense, his Ho∣liness told him, that he having already accorded one of the like to the Spaniards, when as the Match with the same Prince was upon the point of conclusion with the Infant of Spaine, he had done it with the advice of the Cardinals then, and could not now conclude it, without acquainting them with it; but however promised him, that they who were suspected to be against the French interest, should not be called to the consultation, but that others which favoured it should be put in their places: but withal to testifie his good will to the King, he would do one thing which he had not accorded to the Spaniards, that is, he would convocate the Consistory of Cardinals in his own presence, that he might give the quicker dispatch to it. With∣in

in a few dayes after, he named the Cardinals, but he was not so good as his word in convocating them before himself, whether it were that so extraordinary a grace might have exasperated the Spaniards, with whom he had no great mind to em∣broyl himself, or because he imagined the Cardinals would not meet with any so great difficulties, as might require his presence for the granting of the dispense: and this was as much as passed upon the first motion, though afterwards many disputes did arise, either because it is ordinary with those who judge of affaires in the Court of Room, to seek all advantages for Religion, and to raise questions where there are none, that their final results may be the more vallid; or else because Father Berule treating with the Cardinals in private▪ had perswaded them to ad some other things in the dispense, then had been concluded in the Articles. These difficulties thus risen, ingaged the Sieur de Bethune, who understood not whence they came, to joyn himself to the Father Berule, and that he might overcome them he often represented to his Holiness, that the great zeal his Master had for the Church, had induced him to take a great deal of paines, for the obtaining the most advanta∣geous conditions in the Articles, that could be hoped for by the English Catholi∣ques. That the Spaniards having consented that such children as should be born of this Marriage, should be brought up by the Queen, only until their age of twelve yeers, but the King not contented with that, had obtained it until the thirteenth yeer, which was no inconsiderable businesse, because in that age it is that children take such impressions of Religion, as will not easily be rooted out in future. He was not deficient in representing to him, both the hapiness and glory, that it would for ever be to his Popedom, if the eldst son who should be born, should re∣ligiously preserve those instructions in his riper age, which the Queen should give him, and at last establish the Church of England in it's liberty and splendour. That the fruits of this Alliance were to be considered by the advantage, which might happen by it hereafter, especially seeing in the last Article, the King of Great Brit∣tany promised to treat with more sweetness, and allow more liberty and freedom to the Catholiques, in behalf of the alliance with France, then otherwise he would have done, for that of Spain; that he was bound by oath to perform it; that it was true, the Spaniards had demanded more, that is, a publique Church in England, but withal they could not procure it to be granted, and that indeed there was not any thing more to be expected, then what had been alreaded concluded; that all which is to be wished, is not alwayes possible; and after all, that the three princi∣pal things which ought to be considered had been agree to, which was the assu∣rance of the Princess her conscience, the education of such children as God should blesse her with, and the liberty of Catholique: he also went and related the same to the Deputies. At last after three several meetings upon the business, they thought (so much had Father Berule possessed them with hopes, when he discoursed with them in private) that neither they nor the Pope himself could safely grant the di∣spe••se, according to those Articles which had been concluded between the two Crowns: but they would needs have this added, that those servants, who were to wayt upon such children as God should give to the Princess, should be Catho∣liques and chosen by her, during the age that they were to be under her goverment. That the English should not by any means endeavour, to draw off the Princesses servants from the Catholique Religion, nor those of the Messieurs her Children, whilst they should remain with her. Lastly that the King of England should swear not to fail in either of those two things, and that the King of France, should pro∣mise his Holiness to cause those Articles to be observed, to which the King of Eng∣land should oblige himself. The Sieur de Bethune did much wonder, that they should so earnestly ad those Conditions to the Articles, which were not only capa∣ble of retarding, but also of quite breaking of the match, and consequently bring the English Catholiques into a greater persecution then ever. But all was an effect of Father Berules zeal, which was a little too hot, and which prepossessed both the Pope and Cardinals, with such strong impressions, that they were irresistably bent up∣on it, this good man making it appear by his transaction, that the most spiritual men,

are not alwaies the most proper persons to be imployed in negotiation of State; by reason of the subtlety of the spirits, which do refine things a little too much, and their perverseness in opinion which is common to them with all others, and which doth often keep them off from complying with the Lawes even of a necessity it self.